The European Commission will follow up on progress made on the EU’s energy union strategy annually, European Commission vice president Maroš Šefčovič said infront of Parliament on the 25th of February. Mr Šefčovič said he would start developing “a robust governance framework”, adding that the first ‘state of the energy union’ report would be presented before the end of this year. Mr. Šefčovič, who is in charge of the energy union, said the eagerly awaited strategy was “the most ambitious European energy project since the Coal and Steel Community”.

Energy efficiency and renewables have been reintroduced as priorities for heads of state and government talks on the EU energy union, after energy ministers said these should not be overlooked.

At a meeting last Thursday a number of energy ministers criticized the lack of prominence for energy efficiency in an earlier draft European Council outcome. These included ministers from Germany, France, Spain, the UK and the Czech Republic, sources said.

Environment ministers from the European Union member states adopted on Friday (6 March) an official EU emissions reduction pledge to be presented at United Nations climate talks in Paris at the end of the year.

The EU's official contribution will be a target of a 40% cut in emissions by 2030, compared to levels emitted in 1990. The target has to be achieved domestically rather than through offsets that allow member states to buy into carbon-cutting schemes outside Europe.